Greetings {name},

Friday, April 1 is April Fool’s Day, dating back to 1582, when it is traditional to play hoaxes or practical jokes on others in a humorous manner. When the Gregorian calendar moved the first day of the year from April 1 to January 1, those that neglected to observe the change were labeled as April Fools. In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with "hunting the gowk," in which people were sent on phony errands.

Saturday, April 2 is the beginning of Ramadan, a month of fasting for many Muslims in the United States.

As always, make plans to enjoy the great outdoors in our little city. Walk down Miracle Mile, experience the live theatre and the best movies, browse the book stores, look into the art galleries and meet up with friends at the restaurants. Visit the parks and public spaces to appreciate the bounties of nature. 

Enjoy the best of Coral Gables in the coming days.

Robert and Robin Burr

Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24

Miami Wine & Spirits Festival

Enjoy a weekend of fine wine and spirits at the intersection of South Bayshore Drive and Mary Street as the Miami Wine & Spirits Festival comes to Coconut Grove. Taste amazing food from miami's top restaurants, with craft beer, fine wine and craft spirits, plus live entertainment and exhibits. https://www.beerwinespiritsfestivals.com

please enjoy this image that reminds us of the beauty and serenity of our majestic city

the historic Biltmore resort

Coral Gables scenic photo illustrations © Robin and Robert Burr.

Safe Service

Two Computer Guys Help Available

Since 1998, the team at Two Computer Guys has been available for reliable, efficient and friendly service -- from soccer moms and students to small business. They solve problems and get your computer up and running at top speed quickly with personal service. Just call when you need a little help. 305-444-1984. https://www.twocomputerguys.com

Starts Saturday, April 23

Boca at GableStage

GablesStage presents this rolling world premiere of Boca by Jessica Provenz, directed By Barrington Stage Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. Ready for some laughs? Celebrate our very own Sunshine State by traveling north to Boca Raton, where the lawns and residents are perfectly maintained. This not-to-be-missed comedy follows a group of retirees who -- between golf, bridge and Botox -- can be found bickering, gossiping and living it up like they’re teenagers again. Ticket holders can enjoy the show in person or via stream from a location of their choosing. https://bit.ly/3wKASEC

Thursday, March 31 from 6 to 7pm

Women's History - Florida's Female Pioneers

The Pinecrest Branch Library invites you to join historian and author Peggy Macdonald for an engaging talk about women who have shaped Florida, including a physician who ran the first racially integrated free school in Florida, a writer who kick-started Florida's tourism industry, and the first elected female tribal chair of any federally recognized American Indian tribe. Space is limited for this online event. Registration is required. Zoom link will be emailed to registrants within 24 hours of the event start time. Ages 13 years and up. Register online. https://mdpls.org/event/6271094

Starts Friday

Strawberry Mansion at Gables Cinema

In 2035, our dreams are no longer our own -- they're infused with product placement and auditors assess unpaid taxes on our most private reveries. Beleaguered taxman James Preble arrives at a run-down house in the countryside for a routine audit and encounters Bella Isadora, a lifelong dreamer who remains resolutely analog, circumventing the surveillance state with VHS tapes and homemade headgear. As Preble works his way through Bella's archive of the unconscious, he begins to fall in love with visions of her younger self. But all is not well in dreamland as dangerous family secrets and a rogue's gallery of blue demons and fried chicken pitchmen threaten to set the lovers' paradise ablaze. Can Preble and Bella escape from the modern, monetized dreamscape and find refuge in Strawberry Mansion? https://www.gablescinema.com/events/strawberry-mansion/

Friday, April 1 from 7 to 9pm

Pastoral Meets Tropic Ice Miami

Enjoy a special presentation of Barbara Dombrowski's moving climate change photography set to Beethoven’s 6th Symphony at the Congregational Church presented by the German Consulate General in Miami. Experience the video installation project Tropic Ice Meets Pastoral – A Dialog between Places affected by Climate Change. Get details and RSVP online.  Get details and RSVP online.

Friday, April 1 at 7:30pm

United For Ukraine Benefit Performance

Frost School of Music presents a benefit concert at Gusman Concert Hall to support Ukrainian citizens under attack -- partnering with Nova Ukraine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine. Frost’s world-renowned faculty along with students, alumni, and guest artists will present a program featuring Ukrainian composers and other chamber music repertoire. Program Highlights include the Ukrainian National Anthem and Valentin Silvestrov’s Prayer for Ukraine performed by the Frost Choir; excerpts from Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time; Julie Gold’s From a Distance performed by Dean Berg, piano, and Kim Josephson, baritone; and Jason Robert Brown’s Hope performed by Dean Berg, piano, and Katie Oberholtzer, vocals. https://events.miami.edu/event/united_for_ukraine

Friday, April 1 at 8pm

Earth First Fridays - Earth Muted Documentary

Earth: Muted is a documentary set in a valley in Hanyuan, China. There, three families try to farm where wild pollinating insects have disappeared due to overuse of pesticides, and the ecosystem is on the verge of collapse. Bike, walk, or park nearby and stroll over to The Barnacle Historic State Park. The gate opens an hour before the program starts at 8pm. Spread out a blanket and enjoy a picnic on the spacious front lawn. Chairs are available on a first come, first served basis, or you can bring your own. No pets, please. Admission is free. Get details and tickets online.

Saturday, April 2 at 10am

Nature Photography at Deering Estate

Bring your camera as you explore the Deering Estate’s natural environment. A Deering Estate naturalist will take you on a guided tour while teaching you about the natural environment and techniques for capturing photos in nature. Each session has a different theme. Cost is $25 per person. Ages 9+. Spaces are limited. Registration online only. 

Saturday, April 2 from 1 to 3pm

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night

Just one month after they exploded onto the U.S. scene with their Ed Sullivan appearance, John, Paul, George, and Ringo began working on a project that would bring their revolutionary talent to the big screen. A Hard Day's Night, in which the bandmates play wily, exuberant versions of themselves, captured the astonishing moment when they officially became the singular, irreverent idols of their generation and changed music forever. The movie is free, sponsored by City of Coral Gables Commissioner Kirk Menendez, for Coral Gables seniors 50+ by claiming a ticket at playgables.com. Get details online. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/a-hard-days-night/

Saturday and Sunday 2pm

Rapunzel at Miracle Theatre

From the Emmy-winning team behind the mega-hit television series Friends comes Rapunzel. A familiar tale with a fantastic new spin, it has all of the charm that you'd expect from the minds that have been making the world laugh non-stop for more than two decades. Will the Wicked Witch keep Rapunzel locked in a tower forever? Can the bumbling Prince Charming finally rescue a maiden in distress? If Rapunzel can’t leave the tower will her Sweet Sixteen sour? The answers await you in this refreshingly clever musical adaptation.  https://www.actorsplayhouse.org/childrens-theatre/

Saturday, April 2 from 3 to 5pm

Search The 1950 Census

The 1950 U.S. Census will be released April 1st. Join Genealogical Society of Greater Miami at the Pinecrest Library where Steve Morse will present this informative presentation over Zoom and shows us how to search and find our ancestors with and without a name index. Please RSVP online in advance for in-person, or register for the online Zoom session.

Saturday April 2 from 5 to 8pm

Watching Movies With: Dave Barry

Meet up with friends to watch Diner with Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist Dave Barry at Cosford Cinema. Director Barry Levinson's directorial debut, Diner is a small film set in the Baltimore of his youth. The story concerns the comings and goings of a set of friends who are on the brink of adulthood (marriage, careers, etc.), yet still find time to gather regularly at their favorite hangout to discuss the really important things in life: sports, music, girls, and food. Tickets are $10. Order online. https://cosfordcinema.com/event/watching-movies-with-dave-barry/

Saturday, April 2 from 6 to 9pm

Commodore's Birthday - A Roaring Affair

Make plans to attend the Commodore’s Birthday Party Annual Fundraising Event presented by The Barnacle Society, featuring dinner, live music and a silent auction. The speakeasy opens at 5pm at The Barnacle. For details, contact Jessica Cabral at 305-442-6866 or email jessica.cabral@floridadep.gov

Saturday, April 2 at 7:30pm

Bruckner and Mozart - Frost Symphony Orchestra

Enjoy a performance of the Frost Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Schwarz at Gusman Concert Hall, featuring the world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork's Sagrada and two classical masterworks by Bruckner and Mozart. Bruckner's compositions are remarkable for their musical depth and emotional power. Symphony No. 5 is one of his most influential works. Mozart was an incredibly prolific composer, writing his Piano Concerto No. 21 in 1785 at the age of 29. A student competition winner will solo. Hailstork's new work, which will open the concert, is inspired by his 2016 visit to Gaudí's La Sagrada Familia. Get details and tickets online.

Saturday, April 2 at 9pm

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

Strange things are afoot in Bad City. The Iranian ghost town, home to prostitutes, junkies, pimps, and other sordid souls, is a place that reeks of death and hopelessness, where a lonely vampire is stalking the town's most unsavory inhabitants. But when boy meets girl, an unusual love story begins to blossom... blood red. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/a-girl-walks-home-alone-at-night/

Sunday, April 3 at 3pm

Chef Niven Patel - Sundays at The Ranch

Enjoy Sundays at the Ranch, an intimate culinary experience at Chef Niven's own ranch estate in Homestead. Chef Niven is the embodiment of farm-to-table, residing on his two-acre Homestead farm aptly dubbed Rancho Patel, where he grows produce for all his restaurants. Chef is inviting you into his home for an intimate culinary experience. The afternoon will begin at 3pm with a welcome cocktail followed by a 3-course meal, served family style and paired with delicious wines -- all set to the backdrop of the farm. Tickets are $175. Get details and RSVP online.

Tuesday, April 5 at 7pm

The Biggest Little Farm

The Biggest Little Farm chronicles the eight-year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature. Through dogged perseverance and embracing the opportunity provided by nature's conflicts, the Chester's unlock and uncover a biodiverse design for living that exists far beyond their farm, its seasons, and our wildest imagination. Featuring breathtaking cinematography, captivating animals, and an urgent message to heed Mother Nature's call, The Biggest Little Farm provides us all a vital blueprint for better living and a healthier planet. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/the-biggest-little-farm/

Tuesday, April 5 at 7:30pm

Jazz Inspirations - Frost Jazz Vocal Ensemble 

Kate Reid directs the Frost Jazz Vocal Ensemble at Gusman Concert Hall. Frost Jazz Vocal I, Jazz Vocal II, and Extensions perform arrangements and compositions from the Jazz Vocal Performance and the Frost Studio Jazz Writing programs. The repertoire includes arrangements of jazz standards, contemporary and pop pieces from emerging and established artists as well as Frost students. The program reflects the influences, artists, and composers who inspire these students. Get details and tickets online.

Wednesday, April 6 at 5:30pm

Town Hall Meeting with Mayor Vince Lago

Your voice matters. Attend Mayor Lago's upcoming Town Hall Meeting in person at the Adult Activity Center, 2 Andalusia Avenue, or online via Zoom to hear a recap of his first year in office. Call 305-569-1833. Link to Zoom. https://zoom.us/j/3054466800

Wednesday, April 6 at 6pm

Mary Roach - Packing For Mars For Kids

What is it like to float weightlessly in the air? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a spacewalk? How do astronauts go to the bathroom? Is it true that they don’t shower? Can farts really be deadly in space? Best-selling Mary Roach has the answers. In this whip-smart, funny, and informative young readers adaptation of her best-selling Packing for Mars, Roach guides us through the irresistibly strange, frequently gross, and awe-inspiring realm of space travel and life without gravity. From flying on NASA’s Weightless Wonder to eating space food, Packing for Mars for Kids is chock-full of first-hand experiences and thorough research. Roach has crafted an authoritative and accessible book that is perfectly pitched to inquiring middle grade readers. Get details online.

Wednesday, April 6 at 9pm

Spencer at Cosford Cinema

The University of Miami Cinematic Arts Commission presents Spencer. The marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles has long since grown cold. Though rumors of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. There’s eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game. But this year, things will be profoundly different. Spencer is an imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days. https://cosfordcinema.com/event/spencer/2022-04-06/

Thursday, April 7 at 5:30pm

Encore - Live Music On The Mile

Enjoy live music at McBride Plaza with Encore! an outdoor concert series featuring the Frost School of Music. Musicians will perform different styles of music including jazz, Latin jazz, funk, classical, R&B and more. Enjoy the alfresco music, raffles during intermission and even treats for your pup. Get details online.

Friday, April 8 at 7pm

The Crandons at the Barnacle

Attend Barnacle Under Moonlight with live music by The Crandons, outdoors overlooking Biscayne Bay. Pack a picnic and enjoy an evening of great music at The Barnacle Historic State Park. Prices are $20 general admission, $15 for members of The Barnacle Society, and $10 for children ages 6 to 12. The Crandons perform live from 7 to 9pm and the gate opens an hour before show time for open seating on the grass. Rolling coolers and alcohol are allowed at after-hours events, but please leave pets at home. Get details and tickets online.

Saturday, April 9 at 7:30pm

Stamps String Quartet

Enjoy a free concert on YouTube as the elite Stamps String Quartet, comprised of four outstanding young string musicians, performing their final senior recital, funded by the Stamps Scholars Program. They were selected from an amazing roster of talented young artists who passed the auditions of the Frost School of Music and met the academic requirements of the University of Miami. The students were each offered a full four-year scholarship, including room and board, provided by the Stamps Scholars Program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5OfYpWSIjg

The Season Is Here

Everglades Swamp Tours

Reserve space with Everglades Swamp Tours for an amazing adventure in the wild Everglades -- with your own custom tour of these vast open spaces. Experience the natural wildlife up close and appreciate the serene nature of this pristine environment. https://www.evergladesswamptours.com

Many of our favorite eateries in the Gables are offering curbside takeout, as well as delivery services. Here's a handy list of choices for Gables residents and friends.

http://www.greatgables.com/CoralGables/ToGo.html